RideMax Users Thread (FAQs Linked in First Post!)

[cherepikr]

Disney has changed MK hours the weeks before and after Easter. Does anyone know how quickly Ridemax changes the hours in the program? I know I have time before my trip, but I would love to do more sample plans to see if the daily holiday EMH hours will kill my touring plan.

 

[Welsh]

I purchased TourGuideMike and I'm also interested in purchasing RideMax for our trip in May since it'll be over Memorial Day weekend. I must admit, I'm really confused about when I should sign up for it after reading all of these posts. If my trip is from May 19-26, should I hold off as others have said to? My trip is in less than 90 days (it's a 90 day subscription, if I'm correct), so it wouldn't hurt to be all signed up for when the May dates are released, right? Sorry if I'm causing further confusion.

 

[DaveStroem]

I too have been having concerns about the accuracy of the wait times. I have a feeling that they are OK.

What I did just for the fun of it, is to make a plan that has you doing R'n'RC 15 times in a day. When the results came back they did have times with 90 Minutes + which seems to fit with current reports.

The key as I see it is to hit the parks and not only be at rope drop, but to be at the rope itself. The other thing is to have a plan for using FPs. If you didn't use something like RideMax, I can't imagine coming up with a great FP plan.

Even if the plans don't hold up, by make them, I have learned much about the general strategy for better touring.

 

[singingpixie]

I purchased TourGuideMike and I'm also interested in purchasing RideMax for our trip in May since it'll be over Memorial Day weekend. I must admit, I'm really confused about when I should sign up for it after reading all of these posts. If my trip is from May 19-26, should I hold off as others have said to? My trip is in less than 90 days (it's a 90 day subscription, if I'm correct), so it wouldn't hurt to be all signed up for when the May dates are released, right? Sorry if I'm causing further confusion.

Most people just want to make sure their 90 days cover until the end of their trip, in case they want to access Ridemax while they're in WDW. As long as you've allowed time for that if applicable (ie if you'll be bringing a laptop or other way to access the internet), then you're fine.

 

[DaveStroem]

I purchased TourGuideMike and I'm also interested in purchasing RideMax for our trip in May since it'll be over Memorial Day weekend. I must admit, I'm really confused about when I should sign up for it after reading all of these posts. If my trip is from May 19-26, should I hold off as others have said to? My trip is in less than 90 days (it's a 90 day subscription, if I'm correct), so it wouldn't hurt to be all signed up for when the May dates are released, right? Sorry if I'm causing further confusion.

You are good to go, May hours are up. The problem in the past has been that you get the software, and the hours for your trip aren't in there yet. This will only allow you to make plans based on other dates, not the ones your going on. This is kind of like getting a new toy and not having batteries for it. But as I said, you are good to go as the hours currently go though the end of May.

 

[Welsh]

Most people just want to make sure their 90 days cover until the end of their trip, in case they want to access Ridemax while they're in WDW. As long as you've allowed time for that if applicable (ie if you'll be bringing a laptop or other way to access the internet), then you're fine.

Thank you for the quick answer! The end of my trip is also within 90 days (though I'd love to spend a month at Disney ) so I should be good!

 

[Welsh]

Okay, I just subscribed to RideMax and it looks pretty cool so far.

My only question is this: can it possibly be accurate? I put in a late May date (not Memorial Day weekend) at Magic Kingdom (no EMH, arriving first thing in the morning for 9am opening) and it's telling me to tour Winnie the Pooh, Snow White and Peter Pan consecutively without FASTPASS and that each will only have a 1 minute wait! Given the Fantasyland lines I've seen in the past, I just can't believe that. What gives?

 

[ekatiel]

Okay, I just subscribed to RideMax and it looks pretty cool so far.

My only question is this: can it possibly be accurate? I put in a late May date (not Memorial Day weekend) at Magic Kingdom (no EMH, arriving first thing in the morning for 9am opening) and it's telling me to tour Winnie the Pooh, Snow White and Peter Pan consecutively without FASTPASS and that each will only have a 1 minute wait! Given the Fantasyland lines I've seen in the past, I just can't believe that. What gives?

Try putting in a 9:20 arrival, and see what kind of wait times it gives you. The differences, especially at MK are eye-opening ! If nothing else, this program has really drilled into my mind the importance of arriving before rope drop!!! It's a good thing we've got preschoolers and they've never slept late in their lives!! As far as the accuracy goes-- everyone that I've talked to who has used it says that it works, and that wait times are sometimes a tiny bit overestimated, if anything. Maybe the program is counting on the fact that everyone else in Fantasyland will be in the Dumbo line at 9am! --Katie

 

[dansamy]

Yup. Everyone else will be riding Dumbo, so you can knock out all the other stuff in Fantasyland instead. I think I am going to skip Dumbo this trip and just ride Aladdin and Triceratops Spin.

 

[sandym718]

I agree, at RD you can get through many rides walking right on, if they're not the "big draws". I'd do Peter Pan first of those 3, though, that line gets long fairly early.

 

[Welsh]

That's what I was thinking, too. Peter Pan first, especially since it's my favorite! Snow White before Peter? No way!

 

[jamstew]

I solved the KS dilemma by starting our plan 50 mins after opening- that should give us time to head to KS first thing and ride, and then pick up the Ridemax plan immediately following.

Great idea!

 

[jamstew]

We have an ADR at Tusker House at 10:20 on our AK morning. We'll be there for rope drop and want to ride KS first thing, before breakfast. From previous posts, I think the best idea is to put in a break in Africa at about 9:10, then breakfast. Does that sound right? What I'd really like to do is send my FP runner (who really is a runner and can get around really fast) to EE for FP while the rest of the group goes to KS and wait for him there. Am I dreaming, or is this even remotely realistic? The main group will include three children between 3-1/2 & 5-1/2 without strollers, so I'm estimating it will take us 10 minutes to get to KS. My thought is that since KS is right next to TH, it shouldn't be a problem to ride KS and get to TH in plenty of time, but I personally haven't spent much time at AK, so I don't know. Suggestions? I can try to change our breakfast to a few minutes later if I need to. I guess Plan B would be to send the FP runner to EE immediately after breakfast while the rest of us are on the way to something else HELP! I'm even confusing myself!

Our AK day is on Sunday, 5/31, so I'll be sort of working at a disadvantage because it's a Sunday. I'll probably use a Friday since it's one of the historically slower days at AK.

 

[singingpixie]

We have an ADR at Tusker House at 10:20 on our AK morning. We'll be there for rope drop and want to ride KS first thing, before breakfast. From previous posts, I think the best idea is to put in a break in Africa at about 9:10, then breakfast. Does that sound right? What I'd really like to do is send my FP runner (who really is a runner and can get around really fast) to EE for FP while the rest of the group goes to KS and wait for him there. Am I dreaming, or is this even remotely realistic? The main group will include three children between 3-1/2 & 5-1/2 without strollers, so I'm estimating it will take us 10 minutes to get to KS. My thought is that since KS is right next to TH, it shouldn't be a problem to ride KS and get to TH in plenty of time, but I personally haven't spent much time at AK, so I don't know. Suggestions? I can try to change our breakfast to a few minutes later if I need to. I guess Plan B would be to send the FP runner to EE immediately after breakfast while the rest of us are on the way to something else HELP! I'm even confusing myself!

Our AK day is on Sunday, 5/31, so I'll be sort of working at a disadvantage because it's a Sunday. I'll probably use a Friday since it's one of the historically slower days at AK.

Your plan sounds good- Kilimanjaro Safaris is literally night next to Tusker House, and the line should be minimal as long as your Fastpass Runner doesn't dawdle. You should be fine.

 

[Jennifer in WA]

Any thoughts or tips on how to make a plan for MK when you are going to have the birthday fast passes??? And it's an AM EMH day, so we know it's going to be crowded. But, with the bday FP, we should have a little easier time. Just don't need to run all over getting FP since we'll have the bday ones for the main rides.

Thoughts???

 

[singingpixie]

Any thoughts or tips on how to make a plan for MK when you are going to have the birthday fast passes??? And it's an AM EMH day, so we know it's going to be crowded. But, with the bday FP, we should have a little easier time. Just don't need to run all over getting FP since we'll have the bday ones for the main rides.

Thoughts???

I might try creating a plan for all the rides you want to do that aren't covered in the birthday fastpass, and then squeeze in the birthday fastpass rides during your "free time."

 

[kathyfranklin]

Any thoughts or tips on how to make a plan for MK when you are going to have the birthday fast passes??? And it's an AM EMH day, so we know it's going to be crowded. But, with the bday FP, we should have a little easier time. Just don't need to run all over getting FP since we'll have the bday ones for the main rides.

Thoughts???

I would create a plan without the rides you will use fast pass for.
Then when you are happy with that plan, decide when you will ride your rides that you have the FP for. For each of these, put in a break - which is when you will ride your fast pass rides. I would think you'd need to then re-run your plan, adding breaks each time. I'm making it sound much more complicated that it will be.

I think the software is so flexible. I run a plan, and then look at it to determine breaks - then re-run. Very easy. (I sure hope it works in the parks! )

Also - just curious - does only the birthday person get all day fast pass, or is it for the birthday person plus his/her family?

 

[DearDaisyinDurham]

Well thanks to this thread, am all signed up & are thinking that it's GOOD we signed up w/ just a few days before our trip b/c otherwise we wouldn't be getting anything else done besides running plans

Looking for the minimum # of plans to print out - 2 for each day? We also have TGM so are pretty sure of our park choices.

TIA!

 

[ekatiel]

Looking for the minimum # of plans to print out - 2 for each day? We also have TGM so are pretty sure of our park choices.

TIA!

I think 2 should be good. I'd make one for rope drop and one for 9:30 or so. Have fun on your trip , and be sure to let us know how the plans worked in the park!! --Katie

 

[deansara]

I have used Ride Max several times and have two questions that I am hoping someone can help me with! First of all, on several of the plans that I have made, it has a runner getting fastpasses for one ride, and then an hour later, getting fastpasses for a second ride, even before the first fastpasses were used. I thought that you had to wait 2 hours between fastpasses unless if you use the first one. Is that correct?

Also, is there any way that you can save your plans in the RideMax program and come back later to update? I have started to copy and paste them into Excel, but it would be nice to be able to go back and update a plan without having to reenter everything. Maybe I am doing it the hard way!

Thanks!